


Alternate PoVs

by Ishmael



Series: Failing Better [3]
Category: Blue Beetle (Comics), DCU, Teen Titans (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Asexual Character, Comment Fic, Exes as Friends, M/M, Making Up, Overhearing Sex, Past Relationship(s), Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-26
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-03-15 07:38:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3438989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ishmael/pseuds/Ishmael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Side stories that take place during or after <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/1781560">Out of the Blue</a> featuring PoVs that aren't Jaime.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alberto and Bart

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to split these off as they will focus on characters who aren't Bart and Jaime. (Also, no porn.) I hated sidelining so many characters for the sake of the main story. It was necessary but that didn't stop me wanting to write about them. And now I will. Don't know if I'll get to all the ones I had in my head or as notes but it's a start. Prompts welcome.  
> Stories will be arranged in rough chronological order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene where Alberto and Bart talk about Jaime at the cookout. The parts that don't line up to Bart's description of what happened are intentional  
> If I messed up the tiny bit of Spanish in there, let me know.

"Come with me, Bart."  
  
He should run. He has to run, his body thrums with the need to flee, to push himself until he breaks the sound barrier and can't hear whatever it is Mr Reyes is about to say. He doesn't. He doesn't want to run, doesn't want to believe that kind, generous Mr Reyes is one of those people Mr Garrick warned him about, that Mr Reyes could ever be hateful or cruel for something Bart has no hope of changing. So Bart waits, every hair on end as he contains his terror and walks sedately to the Reyes family car.  
  
The doors close. The seatbelts click. Bart could vibrate out, he's not trapped. He's not.  
  
The car pulls out of the driveway. One house passes, two. Bart wonders if he'll ever get to see Jaime off-mission ever again.  
  
"You're in love with my son."  
  
Bart's chest breaks, ribs shattering and lungs collapsing with a single, horrible sentence. He doesn't want to cry, he already cried today over something as stupid as Jaime having the same girlfriend he's had for months. But it hurts, and aches, and stabs, and he can do nothing but sit silently.  
  
"It must be very painful for you." Gentle, soft words, as soothing as a hand on his shoulder. Sad words, inevitable true words.  
  
They're at a stop sign. They've been at the stop sign. Slowly, slowly, Bart looks over at Mr Reyes.  
  
In a time with a surplus of extended family no one has quite filled the vacant role of parents. The Garricks are acting grandparents, the Allens are awkward uncle and aunt, Artemis is almost-sister, but none had become what Bart had hoped for most. The closest are Mr and Mrs Reyes who fuss and scold and invite him over for dinner. He knows it's unwise to put people on pedestals but he was blinded by their warmth and acceptance.  
  
That's what he sees in Mr Reyes' eyes: warmth, acceptance, sadness, worry. Not disgust, not hatred, not a hundred other nameless fears.  
  
Bart cries, hot tears and hideous sobs that shake his whole body. He covers his face in shame but it does so little to hide him, snot bubbling and running in a gross display of emotion he can't stop. Each choking gasp makes him that much angrier he can't control it, angry to be so upset at something so useless. He's known how things stood between him and Jaime, known from the beginning that what he wants will never be but kept wanting it anyway. Stupid, so _stupid_.  
  
"It's not stupid."  
  
Stomach clenching in horror Bart tries to remember what he let slip between mouth and brain. A packet of tissues has appeared on his knee, already opened. They do little good because he's still crying, but he tries anyway. The familiar sight of El Paso is unrecognizable through his blurry tears. They don't pass near enough for anyone to see, and that helps. It's bad enough that Mr Reyes is witnessing this.  
  
"The way I see you look at my son, the way you care for him, isn't stupid. I first suspected years ago. I didn't want to say anything that might scare you, but you look so unhappy lately. It can't be easy keeping it all inside. I wanted you to know that you can talk to me."  
  
Mr Reyes parks far in the back of the grocery store's lot. Nobody will see Bart blubbering.  
  
"Jaime is a good boy. You should tell him, trust him. Relieve yourself of this burden."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"I don't know how he'll react but I know he values your friendship and would never intentionally be cruel or abandon you."  
  
"I CAN'T," Bart shouts, too loud for the confined space of the car. "Jaime is my best friend. I won't risk that. I can't risk that." He's lost so many things in his life it should be easy by now. But it isn't. Losing Jaime would be too much to bear. "I just can't."  
  
Mr Reyes is silent. He puts a hand on Bart's shoulder, watching, waiting for him to say more and the quiet sympathy pulls words out of him unbidden. "I don't want him to be with me because I forced the issue. I want him to be with me because he wants me."  
  
"What if he never realizes? Jaime can be blind sometimes."  
  
"I've lived with this for years. More of the same won't make a difference. I'm fine."  
  
The way Mr Reyes looks at him—wrinkled brow and downturned mouth—is both dubious and worried. "Bart, you're not fine. I know you want to be, but continuing like this isn't healthy. Jaime would never want to hurt you."  
  
"But that's exactly my point! If I tell him he'll try to fix it, and then he'll feel guilty that he can't, and we both end up miserable."  
  
Now Mr Reyes is frowning. "So it's ok if you're the only one hurt?"  
  
"YES!" Bart throws his hands in the air. "I accomplished my mission, I saved most of my family, I have an amazing team and an even better best friend and it's more than I could ever have dreamed. One disappointment? I can live with it."  He wants to think that if Jaime were ever interested in guys he and Jaime would be a sure thing, that it'd happen naturally. He's never been able to believe it no matter how many times he's tried. His attempts at moving on haven't gone well, either.  
  
"Alright. It's your life. I wish you wouldn't but I've said my piece. The only person I'll talk to about this is my wife. I don't keep secrets from her."  
  
Bart nods. He knows she won't tell Jaime either. He aches and it doesn't make any sense, because this is what he wanted. This is how it needs to be.  
  
"Whatever happens, you'll always be part of this family." Mr Reyes undoes his seatbelt. "I'm going to go in and grab a few things. You can come in with me or stay here." He opens the door, adding with a wry smile. "Or run back."  
  
Over and over, he gets what he doesn't deserve. Bart darts out of the car, running around the side and throwing his arms around Mr Reyes, head pressed against chest so the tears threatening to return are hidden. "Thank you."  
  
"De nada, pelirrojo," he says as he ruffles Bart's hair. "I just want you to be happy."  
  
"I am happy." He has every reason to be. "Jaime and Kiran are good together."  
  
Mr Reyes' smile says he agrees but he's nice enough not to say it. "Enough about that."  
  
Bart holds onto that word, _enough_. Enough feeling sorry for himself. Enough wanting what he can't have. His life is enough as it is.  
  
It has to be.


	2. Jaime and Kiran

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaime apologizes to Kiran post break-up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hated leaving Kiran out of the fic and want to do more with her. This Kiran is based on the Pre-New52 version.

As Kiran heads to the Zeta tube to go home, a hand softly lands on her shoulder.  
  
She turns, knowing who she'll see.  
  
Jaime is wearing an awkward smile, apology all over his face."Can we talk?"  
  
"Of course." Despite the year that's passed it sometimes makes her chest tight when their eyes meet. For all its problems their time together had been good. Seeing it the end coming drew out the pain of it instead of lessening the blow. But the pain is duller now and the inevitability of it is comforting in retrospect. They weren't meant to be.  
  
"Look, um--" he searches doesn't find the words. "I'm bad at this."  
  
She can't help but chuckle a little. "Jaime, I know what to expect from you by now. It's fine."  
  
"Ok. Uh." He shuffles his feet, looking at the floor. "Being with Bart, it's got me thinking. I realized I—" He rakes a hand through his hair. "When we were dating I was so busy trying to be your boyfriend I did a terrible job at being your friend." Jaime sighs and musses his hair with both hands, expressive in his frustration. "The more the think about it the more I—I'm so sorry, Kiran. You deserved better. I was an awful boyfriend."  
  
"Jaime," she says, unable to help smiling even though it stings. His compassion is what made him so attractive in the first place and she still loves him for it, though it's morphing into a different kind of love. "You weren't awful."  
  
He opens his mouth to protest but she shakes her head, earrings hitting the side of her neck. He closes his mouth.  
  
"You're flawed. Everybody is. Together we grew, and then we grew apart. Your flaws didn't match up with mine. Life is this way sometimes; I don't regret the time we shared. I'm happy for you and Bart." She takes pride that her voice didn't waver. "What you have is beautiful, truly beautiful."  
  
Cassie once asked her after Bart and Jaime had made their relationship known to the team if she was jealous. She'd said "My only jealousy is that they found so great a love so young, so that they may spend many years together. I wish for the same blessing." It'd been hard to say it then. Now it's easier, a simple fact.  
  
"Nothing could make me happier that our sadness turned into yours and Bart's joy. He's a good friend." Bart is friendly with everyone but their shared experiences feels like something more. Confidant, cheerleader, sympathetic ear, alternate viewpoint—Jaime binds them together.  
  
"Yeah, he is. Do you—" he rubs the back of his neck. "I've been avoiding you."  
  
"I've been avoiding you too. Not that either of us have been very successful at it when we share so many friends and are on the same team."  
  
He laughs, and she joins in. It feels good that they can laugh again even if it's at their own failures. When he looks up with those big, brown eyes she smiles and it doesn't sting at all. He smiles back, small and awkward and so very, very Jaime. "Can we, _could_ we be good friends?"  
  
"Yes." She throws her arms around him and it feels good to have his arms encircle her. At first his hold is light and stiff, but that melts away as the hug continues. "Of course we can. I've missed you."  
  
"I've missed you, too. And I want to do it right this time."  
  
"What does that entail, exactly?" She grins as she pulls back, pushing hair behind her ear.  
  
"I want us to hang out. Not an activity, not something to impress you, just--be there."  
  
Every one of their dates could've been summed up as trying too hard. They'd never learned how to relax around each other. "Sounds good. And?"  
  
"And it's your turn to think of something. I'm not doing all the work."  
  
He's changed. This Jaime is better than the one she'd broken up with in more ways than a new relationship could account for. They're on the right path, and that path is together in a different way. "We should hang out with Bart. And Paco, Brenda, Tye, and Asami too. Everybody at once and in smaller groups. I want to know them better."  
  
"Sounds good." His smile isn't free of guilt but there's less of it now. "Anything else?"  
  
"I want to talk to your mom. I think she'll be able to convince my mom it's time for me to get my own place."  
  
They both laugh.


	3. Tye and Asami

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I alluded to Tye and Asami having relationship issues in one of the side stories. Here's some of the buildup set post-OOTB.
> 
> This touches on asexuality/allosexuality compatibility issues and tension. Give this a pass if you think that'd bother you.

Tye wants to kill Jaime. More accurately, he wants to kill Bart and Jaime for being noisy sex-crazed almost nudist roommates.

He's happy for them, he really is. Jaime had been a pining miserable idiot for ages and Bart's smiles shine far brighter these days. But Tye would be a lot happier if they kept their joy a little quieter.

Like now, as the thumping against the wall goes from sporadic to rhythmic.

So much for the quiet time he'd been having with Asami. She'd been comfortably curled in his arms, her book pulled close so it wouldn't bump into his book, until the banging started. She's only advanced a single page since then and her can feel her getting tense.

Tye puts a finger in his book to keep his place and sighs, hoping they'll stop soon so he won't have to yell at them.

Jaime had been so awkward about Kiran Tye hadn't known they'd had sex until months after the fact and only because Jaime told him. With Bart the evidence of sex is constant in the noises, the clothing strewn in odd places, the way they jerk apart when Tye gets home even though he comes in at the _exact same time_ every day.

He hasn't gotten an eyeful yet but that's only because Bart is able to put clothes back in in less than a blink. He can deal with the embarrassment well enough but Asami complicates things.

It took them a little time and a lot of discomfort but they figured out Asami doesn't like sex. At all. She'd known seeing it on screen or reading about it made her uncomfortable but she'd thought it'd be different with him. They thoroughly discovered that he isn't an exception.

She doesn't enjoy kissing that lasts longer than a peck or hands anywhere intimate. Nudity itself doesn't bother her but it's so easy to stray into uncomfortable territory she'd prefer to stay clothed. The few times they tried anything—at her request—she was so miserable Tye felt horrible for agreeing to it in the first place. They didn't get far before he insisted on stopping.

He's fine with things this way. He's always preferred small physical intimacies and doesn't need any big displays. Sex has never been a priority for him. Every time he says that to his guy friends they never believe him, but it's true. He'll take fully clothed spooning over a naked tumble any day.

And they did discover she's ok with being in the same room as they masturbate. It's still something they share with just each other, it's still a huge, huge deal for her. It's more than he'd expected after their disastrous attempts at sex. That's more than enough to content him.

Or it was until the sudden deluge of sex sounds gave his lower half ideas. Ideas that keep popping back up no matter how hard he tries to quash them down. Ideas that make him want to punch himself for being weak, for not being satisfied with what he has.

Ideas that he's having trouble not blaming Jaime and Bart.

The thumping stops. Tye starts to relax but a long, low moan seeps through the wall. Asami gets up and starts looking for her headphones. When there's another moan she flinches.

"I'll talk to Jaime." He doesn't say _again_ because he knows the effort is futile but he has to pretend it isn't.

Her smile is tired, but there. "Thank you." She puts on the headphones and turns her music up loud enough he can hear the tinny strain of it.

Tye wonders if he should invest in an air horn or huge speakers. It's not like he has the money for it but it's more likely to work than raining on Jaime's parade. As he walks down the hall he can hear the noises more clearly, lewd, ambiguous noises he tries very hard not to think about.

It takes him a couple breaths to stir up enough anger to bang on the door. "We can hear way too much of what you're doing in there, hermano. Knock it off. Seriously, the walls are too thin."

There's a long, long beat of silence. No acknowledgement, no resuming noises, just silence. Tye's irritation grows that he doesn't get _something_ to show they heard him. "Come on, Jaime. It's the third time this week. I'm not going to let this go."

Now he hears angry whispering. He catches _intruder_ and knows Jaime must be talking his angry back bug down. There's more whispering, Bart's voice cutting through a little too loud, "Should I go?"

"This won't take long." Jaime's voice is approaching the door.

"Oh no you didn't," Tye mutters through his teeth. He levels a glare at Jaime as the door opens, Jaime awkwardly clutching a sheet to cover himself. It doesn't cover the massive hickey on his neck.

"Tye—"

"Don't brush me off. I don't want to have this conversation again in an hour. You've ruined enough of my time with Asami already."

"That's—"

"Not an exaggeration."

"What am I supposed to do? I can't make the walls thicker." Jaime's eyes track to the left as the bug says something only he can hear. "Not without the landlord getting suspicious."

"You could wait until we're not here. You could keep it in your room. You could do _something_."

Jaime's brows furrow. "So I need to keep everything with my boyfriend on hold for _your_ girlfriend? Is that it?"

"Hey, hey," Bart inserts himself between them, wearing pants that must be Jaime's given how short they are on him. "We can work this out. Compromise."

Tye scoffs. Jaime has yet to do anything except look guilty when he's called out. His brain is all Bart these days. He probably couldn't keep it in his pants if he tried.

"What if we put on music? The TV?" Bart looks between them.

"Won't cover the bed banging the wall," Tye says.

Jaime ducks his head in embarrassment but Bart nods, taking it in stride. "But it'd help, right?"

"Probably."

Bart turns to Jaime. "We could move the bed. You've got some room to maneuver in there."

"I like sleeping against a wall," Jaime grumbles. "Are you saying we move it away then back every time?"

"Blue, it'll take seconds. Literally. It's the least we can do."

"I'll set an alarm for when you're due home." It comes out begrudging but Tye will take it. Jaime glares. "No, I don't need you to remind me. The last thing I want is your voice in my head right then."

The bug again, not him. Tye will never, ever get used to how weird post-bug Jaime is. He's changed so much since he became a hero, since he got possessed by the Reach. Jaime's never been able to understand why Tye quit but he's the walking example of why.

If they didn't live together Tye wonders if they'd talk at all. It's why he can't threaten to move out no matter how frustrated he gets. Jaime never brings it up either—he's probably realized the same thing.

"So, we've got a plan. We're all good?" Bart's eager gaze darts between him and Jaime. He must want to finish whatever they'd started.

Tye feels a pang of something—revulsion, anger, jealousy? He lets the feeling fade without close examination.

Jaime sighs under Tye and Bart's combined stares. "Yeah. Sorry, hermano. I didn't mean to upset you. Or Asami. I didn't think."

Tye snorts but doesn't add words as salt in the wound. "Whatever. I'll bang on the wall if you need to increase the volume."

"Okay," Bart says, all smiles. "Very crash." He puts his arms around Jaime to herd him back into the room. Jaime looks like he wants to complain but doesn't.

Tye turns to walk down the hall, something heavy growing in his chest. Hearing the music from Jaime's room make it worse, not better.

"Sorry," Asami says with her usual awkward half-smile when he comes back in.

"It's fine," Tye says even though the weight inside him grows.

She frowns now, looking at him. "It isn't. You're not okay."

Words crowd his mouth but he doesn't say any of them. "Let's just drop it."

"No." Asami's reply is instant. "This isn't' the first time I've noticed. You've been like this ever since—"

"Jaime and Bart?" The words jump out of him. "Maybe I'm sick of playing interference for you. I thought we were past me having to speak for you."

Her jaw drops, hurt spreading over her face. "You offered." Her jaw sets. "You _offered_ to do it. You said you would since you know I'm not comfortable with it, and I let you. I stand up for myself. I have a life outside you, a job. I have friends you've never met. I come over here because you never come visit me."

"You live with Paco's family. They're always asking questions." A couple times Paco's mom even asked if they were thinking about marriage and babies. He knows she'll ask again if he comes back. Tye doesn't know how to respond. He thinks he wants to start a family someday but part of him is convinced he won't get the chance, and he's unhappy at the idea of settling down. He thought moving to a new city and going to college would help. It's only become worse.

"So what? You never come at all. They're nosy because they care. They're not trying to be invasive. They've been there for me."

"And I haven't?" Tye raises his voice a little.

"I didn't say that." She stays quiet. She's always quiet when they fight.

Tye isn't much of a screamer but everything he says feels loud and irrational next to her calm. "Fine. I'll visit more often. It'll get us away from them." He nods at the shared wall. He can't hear anything over the music but he's hyper-aware something is going on.

Asami turns away from him. "I'm sorry—"

"Don't start that again. You have nothing to be sorry about." It was the first English word she learned. She says it less these days but it's still her favorite word.

"Are you saying that because you really feel that way? Or because you want to feel that way?" She doesn't look at him when she asks.

The frustration he felt earlier comes back in a flash of guilt. Is he the one ruining this? Has he resented her asexuality the whole time? That can't be right. It's a bad patch. They've had those before and recovered. They'll be fine. "I don't—"

"I'm going home." Asami picks up her book and stands. She tosses a few stray items around the room into her backpack. Taking the hairbrush means she isn't planning on coming back for a few days.

"Asami," Tye pleads. This is all wrong. It should be better now that the problem is taken care of, not worse.

She pauses zipping up her bag but doesn't look at him. "We'll talk later. I need to be alone right now."

"Alright." It's not alright. And he doesn't know how to fix it.

Asami closes the bag and slides it over her shoulders. She walks out the door and closes it. Tye thinks he hears her whisper _sorry_ from the hallway.


End file.
